This can be a tricky question to answer because it vastly depends on the type of restaurant you have and who your typical patron is. One thing is for sure though, less is more, and limiting your menu to items that are good sellers and match your branding is the way to go. Think of the Cheesecake Factory. I think we can all agree that their menu is WAY TOO BIG. There is so much to choose from, you could spend an hour just reading through the menu. They are a food factory though, and you can definitely argue that there is something for everyone there. As the menu designer for bar rescue, Jen can help you determine a product limit, but you will know your crowd better than anyone. Go with your gut and try not to overcomplicate your menu to avoid confusing customers.
A great way to make certain menu items stand out is to highlight them, add icons or graphics next to them, or make the font a different color or size. These simple changes will make those menu items that you are trying to promote stand out and be more readily noticed. Talk to a professional menu designer and see how you can optimize your restaurant’s menu.
In menu design, there is a concept called “The Golden Triangle” Essentially, the middle of your menu is what is seen first. This is a great place to put specials or highlighted restaurant dishes. The top right is the second place that is seen. This is typically the place where entrees or main courses would be ideal. After the top right, the top left is the next location seen. This is a common place for appetizers to be listed.
If you are trying to save on cost, standard paper sizes are 8.5x11, 8.5x14, or 11x17. If you trim your menu to a smaller size than those, you will incur costs due to the printer needing to trim the paper. For some larger menu designs, you may want to upgrade to a booklet or folded menu. Keep in mind that all booklet menu designs need to have a page count that is divisible by 4 so that it can be bound.
Figuring out what all to include in your menu seems intimidating, but it is quite simple when you break it down. You need a full list of restaurant offerings, what each dishes’ ingredients are, a brief description of the dish, and price. If you are able to, photos are an easy way to entice customers as we tend to eat with our eyes first.
While using a menu design template can be tempting, it is typically very obvious that is what has been done, and then your branding goes out the window. Working with a professional menu designer can give you an edge with your customers not only from a visual perspective, but from ease of use. Your menu should convey a true eatery experience. When we work together, I will immerse myself in your brand so that every detail matches both your style and the food you offer for your menu design.
Adding images to your menu can help your customers know what to expect by giving them an idea of what your dishes look like. But on the contrary, they can do quite the opposite if photos are low quality or used in poor taste.
Menu design tips:
- Also go for the highest quality images possible. Grainy images are likely to display a low quality restaurant image
- Consider using no more than one or two images per page. This can help showcase specific dishes as well as avoids cluttering the menu
- Image placement is key - remember “the Golden Triangle” of menu design.